Summary: Steve Rogers didn’t know instinctively how to use his shield –no, he had a few practical lessons.

Spoilers: ½ way through Captain America movie and just after the first Chronicles of Narnia movie.

Rating: teen

Disclaimer: nothing belongs to me

*ca*narnia*ca*narnia*

Steve Rogers was supposed to be part of the moral support, a performing monkey. Steve Rogers was supposed to be far from the front lines. Steve Rogers’ shield was only supposed to be a part of his iconic image, kept low so that the audience could see his face over the shield.

“No, no,” the teen yelled over the din. “Lift your arm higher. Don’t give them an opening over the top.”

Steve obeyed, but not before he saw an arrow pierce his enemy. The teen’s sister was doing her duty with the arrows found and her shadowed perch. Bows and arrows were supposed to be no match for the advances of guns. Susan proved them wrong.

Teens were supposed to be sent off to safety. Children were supposed to run to Steve for protection. Children were not supposed to give orders and expect them to be obeyed. Children were not supposed to know how to wage a battle.

“Edmund!” Peter yelled. “Left!” Peter was right at Steve’s side. “Three, two, one, PUSH!” Steve pushed with his shield as Peter pushed with his own. The Germans fell back against the onslaught. When they had a moment of breathing room, Peter stepped away from Steve and using both his sword and his shield as weapons, cut a path through the battle. He assisted his brother and then all of the Germans were dead or wounded.

Steve looked around in awe. He and three children had destroyed a German plan. While in his ridiculous costume, Steve had mistakenly been separated from the travelling troupe and had ended up outside London’s limits and then the German’s had started bombing the city. Steve had followed the small group of children into the castle (remade into a museum) to take shelter and had witnessed the parachutes dropping with the missiles.

Invasion!

Peter was the one to suggest that the very castle that they were hiding in was the Germans’ intended base. He ordered Steve to pull a sword and a shield off the walls for Edmund and himself. The bow was intended for the older sister, Susan, in a high tower overlooking the field from which the Germans would be advancing. Lucy was sent running through the castle to find medicines and bandages for the inevitable injuries and then was to spy from a safe height. Everything Peter had ordered had made perfect sense, so Steve saw no reason to gainsay him.

The only odd thing Peter insisted on was that the shields that Steve yanked off the walls were the particular ones painted with lions. Edmund and Peter had grinned at the sight. They had held the swords and the shields as if born to them. They had sparred with each other and Steve had witnessed the shield as more than defensive, for both boys used it offensively. Peter had offered to teach him a few tricks, and knowing that the paratroopers could be arriving any moment, Steve learned every trick Peter and Edmund could teach him, from throwing a man over his body with the shield to throwing his shield (if it was circular like the boy’s) and hurting his opponent.

Then Susan sent them an arrow as a signal that the advancing army had been sighted. Steve was supposed to be worried at that point. The children were supposed to be panicking. None of that happened. Peter had a plan in place. The Germans were caught by surprise and were defeated.

Lucy tried to save the one German’s life but was unsuccessful.

Susan came down from her perch and looked at her siblings. She tisked, “It’s time to take off the crowns.”

Peter and Edmund and Lucy looked at each other and laughed. Peter and Edmund took off their hats as if they were crowns and Lucy untied the ribbon placed on her head. They ruffled each others’ hair and were normal children, not the kind that could order and teach a supersoldier.

Steve finally got it: these four were supposed to be royalty. They were supposed to be leading an army to protect their people, not hiding in an abandoned museum fighting a battle that no one would know had happened.

Lucy took Steve’s hand and Steve gave in to the urge to kneel before her. She smiled and said cheekily. “You did well, Captain America. Some day, you might be as big of a hero as Reepicheep.”

Steve blushed. “I hope to one day.”

“You will,” Peter promised. “You’re supposed to be.”

*ca*narnia*ca*narnia*

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Comments

You caught Steve's need to be doing more - even to the point of following some kids that look like they know more than he - quite well. And getting fighting tips from the Kings of Narnia? I like to think that contributed to his future greatness. :)